Refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a cabinet defining a first storage compartment and a second storage compartment that is positioned vertically below the first storage compartment, a receiving drawer configured to be received into the second storage compartment, a mullion that partitions the first storage compartment from the second storage compartment, and an access cover configured to selectively open or close the access hole. The receiving drawer includes a receiving door configured to open and close the second storage compartment and a receiving box provided on a back surface of the receiving door. The mullion defines an access hole that allows fluid communication between the first and second storage compartments.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A refrigerator, comprising:
 a cabinet having a first storage compartment and a second storage compartment; 
 a first door configured to open or close a front opening of the first storage compartment; 
 a second door configured to open or close a front opening of the second storage compartment, the second door configured to be positioned below the first door; 
 a mullion disposed inside the cabinet to partition the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment, such that the first storage compartment is disposed above the mullion and the second storage compartment is disposed below the mullion, the mullion having an access hole to connect the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment, the access hole being formed at a front portion of the mullion and being configured to provision access to one or more food items to a user; and 
 an access cover provided to selectively open or close the access hole, 
 wherein one end of the access hole is exposed to the first storage compartment and the other end of the access hole is exposed the second storage compartment, such that the user take foods in or out of the second storage compartment through the access hole in a state where the first door is in an opened position and the second door is in a closed position, and 
 wherein, based on the access cover closing the access hole, the second storage compartment is maintained at the same or substantially the same temperature as that of the first storage compartment by thermal conduction through the access cover. 
 
     
     
       2. The refrigerator of  claim 1 , further comprising a receiving box provided on a back surface of the second door and received in the second storage compartment. 
     
     
       3. The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the access cover is configured to slide forward or backward to open or close the access hole, respectively. 
     
     
       4. The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the access cover is configured to vertically rotate about a rear end of the access cover to open or close the access hole. 
     
     
       5. The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the mullion includes a cover accommodation groove configured to receive the access cover when the access cover slidably moves in a backward direction. 
     
     
       6. The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a top surface of the mullion includes a stepped portion configured to accommodate the access cover; 
 a first portion of the stepped portion directly contacts at least one storage box; 
 a second portion of the stepped portion that has a smaller height than the first portion of the stepped portion directly contacts a bottom surface of the access cover; and 
 a height difference between a height of the first portion and a height of the second portion corresponds to a thickness of the access cover. 
 
     
     
       7. The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cabinet further defines a third storage compartment that is positioned vertically below the second storage compartment; 
 the first and second storage compartments are refrigerating compartments; and 
 the third storage compartment is a freezing compartment. 
 
     
     
       8. The refrigerator of  claim 7 , further comprising an additional mullion that partitions the second storage compartment from the third storage compartment. 
     
     
       9. The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the access cover is transparent. 
     
     
       10. The refrigerator according to  claim 4 , wherein a top surface of the mullion includes a stepped portion configured to accommodate the access cover. 
     
     
       11. The refrigerator according to  claim 5 , wherein the cover accommodation groove is defined under at least one storage box. 
     
     
       12. The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the second door is provided as at least two drawers which are disposed side by side. 
     
     
       13. The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one storage box in the first storage compartment,
 wherein the at least one storage box is positioned behind the access hole. 
 
     
     
       14. The refrigerator of  claim 7 , further comprising an additional mullion that partitions the second storage compartment from the third storage compartment. 
     
     
       15. The refrigerator of  claim 1 , further comprising a receiving box disposed on a back surface of the second door,
 wherein the access hole extends by a length corresponding to a width of the mullion, the access hole has a predetermined width toward a rear side of the first storage compartment, and the access hole has a length extending in left and right directions that is equal to or less than a horizontal length of a refrigerating space of the receiving box. 
 
     
     
       16. The refrigerator of  claim 15 , wherein, based on the second door being completely closely attached to a front surface of the cabinet, the access hole defined in the mullion is disposed above the receiving box. 
     
     
       17. The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein, based on the access cover moving backward to open the access hole, cool air within the first storage compartment is transferred into the second storage compartment by convection. 
     
     
       18. The refrigerator of  claim 1 , further comprising a storage box disposed on a top surface of the mullion on a rear side of the access hole to prevent the storage box from interfering with the access hole,
 wherein the top surface of the mullion is stepped by a height corresponding to a thickness of the access cover so that a gap in which the access cover is accommodated is defined between the top surface of the mullion and a bottom surface of the storage box. 
 
     
     
       19. The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein, based on the access cover being slid backward, a top surface of the access cover is flush with a top surface of the mullion.